The invention relates to reinforcing carriers for trimming and sealing strips, particularly though not exclusively for use in trimming and sealing around openings in motor vehicle bodies.
It is known to produce such strips in channel-shaped form for embracingly gripping flanged joints such as run around the openings in motor vehicle bodies. Such channel-form strips may be made of flexible material within which is embedded a channel-shaped reinforcing carrier such as made of metal. Various forms of metal carrier are known. Such carriers have to be sufficiently strong to perform their desired reinforcing function. However, they must also be sufficiently flexible to allow the strip to be curved to suit curves in the flanged joint which it embraces. The flanged joint may lie in the plane of, or parallel to the plane of the actual opening; this generally applies to door or window openings in vehicles. Instead, however, the flanged joint may lie generally transverse or perpendicular to the plane of the opening; this applies normally to luggage boot and engine compartment openings. The orientation of the flanged joint with respect to the opening determines the manner in which the carrier has to bend to follow curves in the opening. The carriers to be more specifically described are particularly suitable for luggage boot or engine compartment openings.